ISLAND TROUBLES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 884, 9 December 1916, Page 10

ISLAND TROUBLES.

A PUNITIVE EXPEDITION

FIGHT WITH NATIVES

By Cable. — Press Association. — Copyright. (Received December 9, 10.35 a.m.) SYDNEY, December 9.

A punitive expedition, consisting of English and French sailors and native police, landed on the island of Malekula, in the New Hebrides, to punish the murderers of the Bridges family.

The natives fled. After burning the village, the expedition retired, but was attacked on both sides of the track by natives, who fired at pointblank range from the thick jungle. A running tight ensued within half a mile of the main camp. When the expedition reached the camp, its ammunition was exhausted. Seven native police were killed and a British sailor and policeman wounded.

[A vessel which arrived at Sydney from the New Hebrides on August '2l reported that a trader on the island of Malekula, R. J. Bridges, had been .murdered bylna*.ives, who subsequently looted his store. There were indications that one of the children was eaten.]